FOXBOROUGH – It’s tough to call a Week 4 matchup ‘must-win’ for an NFL team.

The Patriots season isn’t doomed with a loss on Sunday, but the outlook will look a bit rosier with a win against the Carolina Panthers. After this game, the Patriots enter a tough part of their schedule when they play three games on the road, starting with Buffalo in a Week 5 Sunday night game.

If Mike Vrabel’s team beats the Panthers, they’ll enter a tough stretch with some momentum. A loss, however, makes things look more dire with a tough matchup with the Bills next on the schedule. After that, they take on the New Orleans Saints and Tennessee Titans on the road.

After losing a sloppy game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the 1-2 Patriots look to turn it around against another 1-2 team this weekend.

See Full Page